A toast to tequila's versatility

Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner. For some, it is the time of year when they enjoy a Mexican beer with a lime in it. Others enjoy drinking tequila, usually in a margarita. There are several other cocktails that one can make to enjoy on Cinco de Mayo.

A margarita for this year's Cinco de Mayo is going to cost a little bit more money. There is a shortage of limes. At one time Florida produced most of the limes we consumed in the U.S. Today, Mexico supplies more than 90 percent of the limes we use. This year, Mexico had a bad lime crop. It was a rainy winter in some of the lime-producing areas of Mexico. In another part of Mexico, the lime trees had a bacterium attack them, decreasing their yield. Last, because of the high price of limes, in some areas of Mexico, thieves are stealing them. This perfect storm has caused the price of limes to skyrocket.

At a grocery store limes can cost more than 85 cents each. Just a few months ago, you could find three limes for $1. The price of limes is extremely high and the quality of the limes are not that good. To make a good margarita, you need fresh limes. This year the fresh lime juice could cost you as much as the tequila. A single margarita calls for about 2 1/2 to three limes. That means it will cost you $2-$2.75 for the fresh lime juice.

You could utilize a premade margarita mix, but most commercial mixes are not that good because of their ingredients. These mixes contain citric acid, corn syrup, food coloring and a few other things. If you utilize lemons, that does not make a true margarita.

There are several other ways to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. One way would be to enjoy a paloma. The drink is tequila, lime juice and topped off with grapefruit juice. The drink is served in a rocks or Collins glass with a salted rim. The tequila sunrise is another classic tequila drink. It is a simple drink made with tequila, orange juice and grenadine.

Sangrita, which means little blood, is another great way to enjoy tequila. Sangrita is different from sangria. Sangria is a wine and citrus drink from Spain. Sangrita comes from Jalisco, the heart of tequila production. There are many different versions of this drink, but the classic recipe is fresh orange juice, lime juice, true grenadine made with pomegranates and a pinch of chili powder. The items are mixed together and chilled.

Traditionally, the sangrita is serve on the side of a shot of tequila. To consume it, you take a sip of tequila followed by a sip of sangrita. The sweet, astringent and acidic sangrita cleanses the palate after consuming the earthy tequila. The key to this drink is to have real grenadine. Today, most grenadine is red-colored corn syrup liquid that can be found in the grocery store. True grenadine is made from pomegranates and sugar. You can easily make your own by juicing fresh pomegranates and adding a simple syrup. There are a couple versions of true grenadine on the market.

Whichever way you like to enjoy your tequila, you want to make sure that it is 100 percent blue agave tequila. Lesser quality tequila, called mixto, is only a minimum 51 percent blue agave. This type of tequila is not what you want in a drink. With that being said, you don't have to get the most expensive tequila on the shelf to make a good drink. To make a margarita, paloma or a tequila sunrise, I would recommend utilizing a blanco or mixto tequila. With sangrita, you could enjoy it with a blanco, mixto or an anejo tequila.

Even if it is not Cinco de Mayo, you can enjoy any of these drinks, especially as the weather warms up. Or if you like, you can sip tequila by itself and enjoy.

Chef's Corner appears every Wednesday. Douglass Miller is an associate professor in hospitality and service management at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. Miller serves as maitre d'instructor in the Bocuse Restaurant.